Socket-wrench set



Fig./

Jan. 8, 1957 Fig. 5

O. M. GRE GORY SOCKET-WRENCH SET Filed Aug. 8, 1955 Orland M. Gregory INVENTOR.

United States Patent SOCKET-WRENCH SET Orland M. Gregory, Greentop, Mo.

Application August 8, 1955, Serial No. 526,960

Claims. (Cl. 81-177) This invention generally relates to a socket-wrench set, and more specifically provides a folding type of set wherein an elongated handle and extension member are provided and the sockets are stored on the extension member and retained in a position alongside the handle, thereby providing the entire socket set in a compact condition for storage in a tool box or other restricted area.

An object of the present invention is to provide a socket-wrench set' upon which the sockets employed in the set may be stored on an extension member and the extension member may be retained in generally parallel position alongside the elongated handle, thereby retaining the socket set in a compact and readily adjustable position so that the sockets will be immediately available for use and will not be lost or misplaced.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a socket-wrench set which is simple in construction, easy in assembly and disassembly, compact, well adapted for its intended purposes, and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the socket-wrench set of the present invention with the sockets and other portions being taken in section so as to illustrate the details of construction thereof; v

Figure 2 is a transverse, vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 22 of Figure 1, and illustrates the details of construction of the clip member for retaining the extension alongside the handle;

Figure 3 is a transverse, vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 3-3 of Figure 1, and illustrates the retaining means for releasably retaining the holding socket on the end of the extension member for retaining the sockets thereon;

Figure 4 is a transverse, vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 44 of Figure l, and illustrates the relationship of the sockets to the extension member; and

Figure 5 is a detailed sectional view illustrating a modified form of means for retaining the extension alongside the handle.

Referring now to the drawings, the numeral generally designates the socket-wrench set of the present invention, the set including an elongated ratchet handle 12 having at one end a ratchet mechanism generally designated by the numeral 14 and provided with a polygonal driving shaft 16. A universal coupling generally designated by the numeral 18 and including a first portion 20 and a second portion 22 hingedly interconnected by a pivot pin 24 and a third portion 26 hingedly connected to the second portion 22 by hinge pin 28, thereby permitting movement of the first portion 20 and the third portion 26 about axes which are perpendicular to each other, thereby permitting universal movement of the output polygonal projection 30 on the coupling 18. An elongated extension member 32 has a socket portion connected to the projection 30 and retained thereon by the usual spring detent 34. The end of the third portion 26 forms an abutment for the socket portion of the extension member 32. A plurality of sockets 36 are assembled on a shank portion of the extension member 32 by sliding them over such shank portion, the latter having a substantially constant cross-sectional area. Certain of the sockets 36 may be positioned in back-to-back relation for retaining them in the desired position and also permitting certain of the smaller sockets to be nested in the larger sockets, if desired.

At the outer end of the extension member 32 is provided a spring detent 38 for detachably receiving a useful socket 40 which forms an abutment for the outermost of the sockets 36, thereby retaining the sockets 36 on the extension member 32.

A mounting disk 42 is mounted on the extension member 32 between the end socket 40 and the outermost socket 36 and includes projecting spring arms 44 for clamping engagement with the handle 12, thereby releasably retaining the extension member 32 substantially alongside the handle 12, thereby retaining the socket wrench set 10 in compact condition.

It will be noted that the spring detent 38 is mounted in a bore 46 having a spring 48 therein for urging the spring detent 38 outwardly into engagement with the cap 40 and each of the spring detents is of the same construction.

Figure 5 illustrates an end socket 50 which is provided with a hollow open end 52 for engagement with a hooked end 54 of a leaf spring 56 attached to the end of the handle 12 by fastening members 58, thereby forming a modified form of means for retaining the extension member 32 alongside the handle 12.

Other means may be provided for retaining the extension member 32 alongside the handle 12, such as flexible tying strings or thongs, thereby retaining the socket wrench set 10 in a compact condition for easy storage in the tool box of mechanics or the like. As illustrated, the extension member 32 is of substantially square crosssection, but may be of any polygonal construction, and it is to be noted that the cross-sectional area of the extension member 32 is constant throughout the outer portion of its length, thereby permitting sliding engagement of the socket members 36 over the free end of the extension member 32. V

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A socket-wrench set comprising an elongated handle, a universal coupling, an extension member pivotally connected by the universal coupling to one end of said handle for normally extending laterally therefrom, a plurality of socket members slidably positioned on said extension member, means on the free end of said extension member for removably retaining the socket members thereon, and means releasably retaining the extension member alongside the handle for storing the socket members, extension member and handle in compact condition.

2. A socket-wrench set comprising an elongated handle,

a universal coupling, an extension member pivotally connected by the universal coupling to one end of said handle for normally extending laterally therefrom, a plurality of socket members slidably positioned on said extension member, means on the free end of said extension member for removably retaining the socket members thereon, and means releasably retaining the extension member alongside the handle for storing the socket members, extension member and handle in compact condition, said extension being detachably attached to the universal coupling, said coupling having a shoulder forming an abutment for the extension and permitting the extension to be positioned alongside the handle.

3. A socket-Wrench set comprising an elongated handle, a universal coupling, an extension member pivotally connected by the universal coupling to one end of said handle for normally extending laterally therefrom, a pluralityof socket members slidably positioned on said extension member, means on the free end of said extension member for removably retaining the socket members thereon, and means rcleasably retaining the extension member alongside the handle for storing the socket members, extension member and handle in compact condition, said means for retaining the socket members on the extension member including a socket removably attached to the outer end of the extension member.

4. A socket-wrench set comprising an elongated handle, a universal coupling, an extension member pivotally connected by the universal coupling to one end of said handle for normally extending laterally therefrom, a plurality of socket members slidably positioned on said extension member, means on the free end of said extension member for removably retaining the socket members thereon, and means releasably retaining the extension member alongside the handle for storing the socket members, extension member and handle in compact condition, said means for retaining the extension member alongside the handle including a spring clip mounted on the extension member and frictionally engaging the handle.

5. A socket-wrench set comprising an elongated handle,

a universal coupling, an extension member pivotally connected by the universal coupling to one end of said handle for normally extending laterally therefrom, a plurality of socket members slidably positioned on said extension member, means on the free end of said extension member for removably retaining the socket members thereon, and means releasably retaining the extension member alongside the handle for storing the socket members, extension member and handle in compact condition, said means for retaining the socket members on the extension member including a socket removably attached to the outer end of the extension member, said socket having a hollow end, and said extension-member-retaining means including a spring hook mounted on the handle for engagement in the hollow socket end.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,361,593 Lang Dec. 7, 1920 1,416,461 Hance May 16, 1922 1,578,065 Bemus et al Mar. 23, 1926 1,662,424 Judge Mar. 13, 1928 1,924,089 Croessant Aug. 29, 1933 

